So all of you know by now I have a healthy obsession with basketball, correct? Even more excited to tell you where basketball and soccer meets this summer for a good cause…

Steve Nash talks about his annual charity soccer event, Showdown

While some NBA players are using their off-season getting tatt’ed up, Los Angeles Lakers’ guard Steve Nash will be doing what he does best – assisting others (couldn’t help it). This time though, it’s on the field…soccer field, that is. Returning to New York for his sixth annual Showdown charity soccer event on the lower east side on June 26th, Nash said he’s “thrilled” to expand the event by holding a second event in his new home, LA (a mile away from the Staples Center, no less) on July 14th. “Soccer was my first love,” Nash said from LA in a phone interview. “My parents are British. I grew up in a soccer household. My first word was goal.”

NBA players and international soccer players will be joining him in the free and open-to-the-public event to benefit the Steve Nash Foundation which helps underserved children in health, development, and education. “This is really bringing together three of my greatest passions,” Nash said. “Helping children from my foundation; playing soccer, which is the highlight of my summer; and finally bringing it to two great cities is just fantastic.”

Steve Nash showing off his moves on the field

While he was tight-lipped on which athletes we can expect on the field this year (although in the past Tony Parker, Jason Kidd, Chris Bosh and Grant Hill have all participated), I was wondering if we can expect to see Nash actually playing after ending his basketball season with a few injuries. To that, he said, “I’m fighting everyday to get back to 100 percent. I’m still rehab-ing, but I absolutely plan on playing — with a few weeks left, I should be good to go.”

Tony Parker and other professional NBA players participate in Nash's Showdown event in NYC

He was game for more questions about the event…and his hair:
How’s your soccer game like compared to your basketball game? Steve Nash: One of my former teammates who’s playing in Showdown this year says I play soccer exactly the way I play basketball – I love to pass and be a play maker but I’m not afraid to shoot if I have the opportunity.
You have a very European soccer-esque new hair cut going on now — do you think it’ll help your game?Nash: Maybe my haircut is getting more credit than it deserves, but I’ll take it! Hopefully the rehab will payoff more.
If your Lakers’ teammate Dwight Howard were to play, what position would you put him in?Nash: I think Dwight would be best in goal, but maybe he can surprise me on the field a little bit.
If you want to attend, here are the details:
WHO: Hosted by STEVE NASH
WHEN: Wednesday, June 26th, 6:30 pm
WHERE: SHOWDOWN: SARA D. ROOSEVELT PARK located at Chrystie & Stanton in New York City
SHOWDOWN AFTER HOURS: Penny Farthing 103 3rd Avenue (corner of 3rd Ave & 13th St)

Showdown LA kicks off at 6:30pm on Sunday, July 14th, at Red Shield Community Center (West 11th Street between Valencia and South Union in downtown Los Angeles), followed by Showdown After Hours, held at 9pm at LA Live’s Target Terrace. Check out stevenash.org/showdown for more info!
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Do ANY of you remember those friendship necklaces? There were two necklaces, and one pendant was half a heart that said “BEST” and the other necklace’s said “FRIENDS” and you would wear one while your bestie wore the other? (No? No one? Was I the only one who got super excited over these things?). The problem was I never knew which friend to give my other half to #teenagerproblems. Anyway. All that to say when I came home last night, I found this beautiful Ettika bracelet on my bed left for me by my friendsin Safia (that’s cousin/friend mushed together, natch…thought it sounded better than “co-friend”), and it reminded me of those times.